Being a "Traditional" Girl in a World Flooded by Progressive Christianity

Often times, when Christians speak about pressing issues that upset them, they're speaking about evolution, politics, or even the latest crazy social media trend. Many haven't noticed, but there's an issue that permeating our churches, schools, and minds. What is this issue, you may ask?

It's called Progressive Christianity, or "Theological Liberalism".

Who are Progressive Christians/Theological Liberals and what do they believe? According to David Platt, a favorite pastor of mine (you can follow him on Twitter here), 

"They are people who call themselves Christian, yet they deny Scripture and orthodox teachings on the primary doctrines of Christianity, often in an attempt to either adapt to a changing culture or appeal to an increasingly non-Christian culture. Both those are important when it comes to the motives. Many theological liberals claim to be making Christianity more respectable or believable for the culture at large. They’ll say things like “Christianity must change or it will die.” Or, “We want people to actually consider and believe the gospel, but if we don’t modify our message, then the culture will see us as completely irrelevant.” The attempt is often to adapt to a changing culture or appeal to an increasingly non-Christian culture, often using language that appears to be biblical, yet their teachings undercut Scripture. You might hear the line, “Well, that’s just your interpretation,” or, “That’s an old interpretation. We have new wine for new wineskins.” But just because somebody quotes a verse doesn’t mean their claim is biblical."

To summarize, theological liberalism seeks to discreetly change the doctrines associated with the Christian faith, while making it "more attractive" to non-Christians. They seek to make the Scripture more "relevant" by modernizing portions of the text. 

In my experiences with being surrounded by liberal theology, I've noticed multiple signs of theological liberalism:

1. The love of God/Jesus Christ is extensively spoken about, but His truth and justice are conveniently left out.
2. The rules that God set aside for us in Scripture are seen as being "for a certain time and a certain place". By and large, they are also seen as non-applicable to modern Christianity.
3. Scripture is viewed as being outdated. Some even view sections of Scripture as fabricated or full of error.
4. Evangelism is placed on the backburner. The focus is placed on ONLY understanding other cultures and religions and not on sharing the Gospel.
5. Unity is viewed as being more important than truth.
6. Most importantly, it is implied that there is no absolute truth.

So what does this have to do with being a woman?

On the surface, Progressive Christianity is extremely attractive. Truth is spoken about the love and grace of Jesus Christ but is then distorted by taking it to an extreme. For example, Progressive Christianity pushes the idea that Scripture is inherently flawed or simply, fiction. They view the verses in Paul's writings as outdated and bearing no relevance to us in present times.

I've noticed that Progressive Christianity/Theological Liberalism majorly appeals to young women. Women who have had negative experiences in the church are especially vulnerable to buying into progressive teachings. Since women experience some of the worst injustices in the world, we reach out for anything that makes us feel known or important.

Before we know it, the teachings we listened to religiously (since they said were about acceptance and love) turn into complete distortions of Scripture. As women, we love to hear things that make us feel empowered and independent. However, it is imperative that we must use discernment when listening to teachings about Scripture.

I'll be completely transparent here, it is incredibly hard to be a girl with more traditional beliefs, especially in a college environment. A lot of times, I feel isolated from the rest of my girl friends and shocked at the outlandish claims I hear people make during discussions about faith.

Here are some tips for coping with Progressive Christianity as a woman:

1. Know what you believe and why you believe it.
2. Don't shy away from conversations with people who may disagree with your viewpoints. 
3. Find a group of like-minded ladies who believe things about Scripture similar to you.
4. When you hear teachings that don't sound Biblical, go into the Scripture and read/examine it for yourself.
5. Find counsel in your ministers and Christians who have spent many years in the faith.
6. Most importantly, if you are a young woman remember the words of 1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV), "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." 

No matter what we encounter in our daily lives, we can make a difference. Don't be afraid to make your voice heard.

Love,

Jennifer xo